The following articles have been selected because they are informative, instructive, entertaining, or simply interesting. Articles appearing in Your Friday Five do not represent an endorsement.
There is more to church than digital.
Analog Church in the Digital Age, Jay Kim
As we serve and lead in the local church, we must remember that the goal isn’t selling a product or service but discipling our people. And discipleship requires patience, depth, and community—the very things that stand in contradiction to the values of the digital age. Dallas Willard reminds us that “character is formed through action, and it is transformed through action, including carefully planned and grace-sustained disciplines.” Carefully planned and grace-sustained disciplines. This is intentional, methodical, slow and steady work.
More thoughts on a virtual Lord’s Supper.
Should We Practice the Lord’s Supper While Scattered?, Matt Capps
Many would argue the physical gathering is essential to the meaning of the Lord’s Supper itself. Therefore, observing the Lord’s Supper outside of the gathered body would seem inappropriate or lack its full intended meaning based on the biblical precedent. Additionally, Paul’s warning in v. 27 heightens the importance of giving careful consideration to how we approach the Lord’s Supper.
When we are weary, God is not.
Trading Our Weakness for God’s Strength, Clarissa Moll
All of these and more fill my life with a backbreaking weight that threatens to bring me to my knees. Frankly, I’m doggone tired. And yet, I struggle on. I attempt to make my laps around the clothing racks of life, screwing my courage to the sticking place, biting my lip, and shouldering on because “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Somehow I’ve bought into the narrative that difficult times show us what we’re worth, and above all I want to be worthy. Worthy of acceptance, worthy of love, worthy of the prize for making it through all this.
The gospel is enough for any circumstance.
9 Ways God Speaks to Us During COVID-19, Dave Harvey
When we are home-bound, powerless, fearful, and economically helpless, the gospel reminds us that we have something more satisfying than our nervous struggle with unbelief; we have a Savior—one who is able “to sympathize with our weaknesses, who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Even though the pandemic is delivering a hard blow, Christ’s love never fails, his blood covers where we are faithless and his sympathy delivers more than our self-doubt.
President Xi Jinping further consolidates his control.
China Tells Christians to Replace Images of Jesus with Communist President, Kate Shellnut
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports that Communist Party of China (CPC) officials visited believers’ homes in Yugan county of Jiangxi province—where about 10 percent of the population is Christian. They urged residents to replace personal religious displays with posters of President Xi Jinping; more than 600 removed Christian symbols from their living rooms, and 453 hung portraits of the Communist leader, according to SCMP.